Direct chemical evidence for eumelanin pigment from the Jurassic period

作者：Glass Keely; Ito Shosuke^*; Wilby Philip R; Sota Takayuki; Nakamura Atsushi; Bowers C Russell; Vinther Jakob; Dutta Suryendu; Summons Roger; Briggs Derek E G; Wakamatsu Kazumasa; Simon John D

来源：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012, 109(26): 10218-10223.

DOI：10.1073/pnas.1118448109

Melanin is a ubiquitous biological pigment found in bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. It has a diverse range of ecological and biochemical functions, including display, evasion, photoprotection, detoxification, and metal scavenging. To date, evidence of melanin in fossil organisms has relied entirely on indirect morphological and chemical analyses. Here, we apply direct chemical techniques to categorically demonstrate the preservation of eumelanin in two >160 Ma Jurassic cephalopod ink sacs and to confirm its chemical similarity to the ink of the modern cephalopod, Sepia officinalis. Identification and characterization of degradation-resistant melanin may provide insights into its diverse roles in ancient organisms.

• 出版日期2012-6-26